Argentata dell'Etna

The Argentata dell'Etna is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the area of Mount Etna in the province of Catania and the Monti Peloritani in the province of Messina, in the Mediterranean island of Sicily, in southern Italy. It is raised mainly in that area, but also in the provinces of Enna and Palermo. It is named for the volcano and for its silvery grey coat.^[2] The origins of the breed are unknown; it shows similarities to the Garganica breed, and to other Italian grey breeds such as the Ciociara Grigia of Lazio and the Cilentana Grigia of Campania.^[2]

Argentata dell'Etna

Conservation status	FAO (2007): not at risk^[1]
Country of origin	Italy
Distribution	Sicily
Standard	MIPAAF
Use	milk, also meat^[2]
Traits
Weight	Male: 50 kg^[3] Female: 38 kg^[3]
Height	Male: 75 cm^[3] Female: 67 cm^[3]
Skin colour	grey
Wool colour	silver-grey
Face colour	grey-white
Horn status	usually horned^[4]
Beard	usually bearded^[4]
Tassels	usually present^[4]
Goat Capra hircus

The Argentata dell'Etna is one of the forty-three autochthonous Italian goat breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders.^[5][6] The herdbook was established in 2002.^[3] At the end of 2013 the registered population was variously reported as 1885^[7] and as 2304;^[8] the total population is not more than 7000.^[3]

Use

The average milk yield of the Argentata dell'Etna is 120 litres in 150 days for primiparous, 160 litres in 210 days for secondiparous and 180 litres in 210 days for pluriparous nannies;^[6] it may reach 300 kg.^[3] The milk averages 4.5% fat and 3.6% protein, and is used to make ricotta, both fresh and al forno, and Padduni cheese, which has PAT status.^[2]

Kids are slaughtered at the age of about one month.^[3]

References

1. Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources^{[permanent dead link]}, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed June 2014.
2. Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594, page 316–17.
3. Lorenzo Noè, Alessandro Gaviraghi, Andrea D'Angelo, Adriana Bonanno, Adriana Di Trana, Lucia Sepe, Salvatore Claps, Giovanni Annicchiarico, Nicola Bacciu (2005). (in Italian); in: Giuseppe Pulina (2005). L' alimentazione della capra da latte. Bologna: Avenue Media. ISBN 9788886817493. p. 381–435. Archived 5 October 2014.
4. Norme tecniche della popolazione caprina "Argentata dell'Etna": standard della razza (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia. Accessed June 2014.
5. (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. Section I (e). Archived 4 May 2014.
6. Le razze ovine e caprine in Italia (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Ufficio centrale libri genealogici e registri anagrafici razze ovine e caprine, page 90. Accessed June 2014.
7. Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 89 Argentata dell'Etna Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed June 2014.
8. Breed data sheet: Argentata dell'Etna/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2014.